Dancing to the Drums
by DarkForbidden-Love
Summary: Originally written for ballroom dancing Doctor/Master prompt. Queen Elizabeth invites the Doctor to a masquerade and he mets an old friend who doesn't want to destroy Earth...this time. Doctor can be interpreted as any regeneration as can the Master


I don't own Doctor Who. Written for KZ.

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The Doctor straightened his tie once again and sighed. Social functions like this were always a bore. Queen Elizabeth had requested it though so he would follow through. One dance then he would leave, duty fulfilled. The Doctor was dressed in the clothes of the current century but as he walked into the grand dance hall of Buckingham Palace he felt underdressed. Every man and woman was bedecked with jewelry, fine clothes, and elaborate masks. A masquerade ball then the Doctor thought as he placed his own mask, a simple while porcelain piece, upon his face. His solemn footsteps echoed off the marble hallways before they disappeared into the void of the ballroom. Within seconds the Doctor was swept into and lost among the sea of dancers.

Before he quite realized what was going on he had a dance partner and was dancing. Try as he might the Doctor was unable to escape the dancing. Partners changed every song and he never had a moment to slip away. After the third dance the Doctor stopped trying and relented to the fact this would not end as quickly as he had hoped. Around the 12th or 13th dance partner he was brought back to Earth by his dance partner attempting more than simple pleasantries.

"I couldn't help but notice your silence," she started out. The Doctor grinned and nodded her on. "Is something wrong with all your dance partners?"

"Not at all," The Doctor said with a false smile, "I just don't have much to say."

The lady gave a derisive snort and a faint smile appeared, "For some reason that statement rings false to me, sir."

"Doctor," He corrected, sir just did not sound right.

"Doctor?" His partner queried obviously confused.

"I'm Doctor not sir." He explained before falling silent once again. The silence was not as stiffening as all the other silences that fell before. The silence lasted for the rest of the song and the Doctor expected to be passed off to the next waiting lady. He therefore surprised when his partner did not trade him off for another man like everyone else had done.

"The current party is a bit boring." The lady admitted. "Would you like to escape it with me?" She asked softly, making sure no one but the Doctor could hear.

The Doctor's small smile grew, "I've been trying to escape it since the first song." He had no problem admitting his inability to escape. The woman grinned and released one of the Doctor's hands. The other one she kept in her firm grip as she led the Doctor to the side of the ballroom. The wall they were heading towards was concealed by heavy scarlet drapes but the Doctor knew what they concealed. Behind the drapes were balconies that overlooked one of the many gardens in Buckingham Palace. The lady pulled back part of the drapes revealing one of the balconies. There was already someone there, a meticulously dressed male with a gold mask. He turned around at the rustling of the drapes.

"Oh, hello, Lady Everstone," the man greeted, "Who is your companion?"

Lady Everstone smiled and gestured for the Doctor to walk onto the balcony before she did, the Doctor did so and Lady Everstone followed. "This is the Doctor." She explained simply.

The man grinned, "His name not his practice." If the Doctor had been paying a bit more attention he might have found the whole situation a bit odd, but he was just relieved to be out of the stifling ballroom.

Lady Everstone just smiled, "I promised Duke Baroda a dance, I'll see you two later." She winked at the man with the golden mask then spun, leaving the Doctor alone with the man.

The man turned back towards the garden and gestured for the Doctor to come stand beside him, "What would you like me to call you? Just Doctor like the Lady did?"

"Doctor works well enough for me," The Doctor said coming to stand beside the man. They were standing beyond the protection offered against the wind so the air had a slight chill to it.

"What brings you back to England then, Doctor?" The man asked.

"Personal request from the queen-saved her life once." And the world but one does not casually drop that in a conversation. "How did you know I was coming back to England?"

The man smiled, "Your accent." He did not elaborate nor did he seem surprised about the Doctor saving Queen Elizabeth. He shifted closer to the Doctor but the Doctor was not paying attention. The man seemed familiar to him and the answer was floating just out of his grasp. Such a familiar aura around the man that it had to be someone he knew. Arms wrapped around the Doctor's midsection and he would have jumped except the arms held him in place.

"I may also be privy to information about you that no one else is." The man whispered in the Doctor's ear. All the pieces fell neatly into place at the moment and the man chuckled lightly, "Oh, I do believe you've figured it out, my dear Doctor."

"Master," the Doctor breathed.

The Doctor could feel the Master's smug smile, "Yes, what a pleasure to hear you say my name, Doctor, and so early in the game." The Doctor tried to wiggle out of the Master's hold but was unable to and it resulted in a stronger grip from the Master.

"What do you want?" The Doctor asked, pretending to be defeated. It would be easier to see if he could appease the Master without the world being damaged in any way but if push can to shove he would fight.

The Master laughed at the Doctor's question, "Oh, nothing much." The Master admitted and the Doctor wished he could see the Master's face as it would be easier to read him then. The Doctor's wish was granted when the Master quickly released the pressure around the Doctor's middle and turned him around. The Doctor was now pinned with his face next to the Master's and his back pressed again the wrought iron of the ornate balcony's railing.

"What do you want?" The Doctor repeated, irritated and not wanting to play the any of the Master's games. The Master did not answer instead forcing the Doctor's lips to meet his own. The Doctor's eyes widened and he struggled harder to escape. The Master withdrew slightly and let the Doctor catch his breath.

"I want you," the Master said with a cold smirk, "whether I have to break you first is all up to how you behave, Doctor." The Master did not allow the Doctor to say anything as he brought their lips back together. The Master bit the Doctor's lip and forced the Doctor's mouth open to slip his tongue in. The Doctor tried to force the Master out but it did not work and the Master slipped further in eventually drawing a heavy groan from the Doctor. The Master broke the kiss then with an extremely smug look.


End file.
